Good links. Thank you.
You may find this interesting if it's new to you.
The Conqueror film was filmed in a nuclear fallout zone as the government had assured the producer, Howard Hughes, that the location was safe. After filming started, concerns were raised by John Wayne, the Director and others on the safety as even a Geiger Counter was saying GTFO. The government then also assured John Wayne and the others that it was definitely safe.
John Wayne believed them and even proceeded to have his sons, actors Patrick and Michael, visit him on-location during filming for an extended period of time.
Between 1954 when it was being filmed and 1981, at least 91 of the 220 cast and crew developed cancer, including John Wayne himself, the director, and several others of Wayne's costars (Susan Hayward, Agnes Moorehead, etc. - many of whom who died from their cancer).
A few years after filming, one of Wayne's costars on the film even killed himself after he was given a terminal cancer diagnosis that was a result of making this film.
Additionally, many more in the families of cast and crew who had been on-location during filming had developed cancer as well - including both of John Wayne's actor sons who had stayed on-site with him during the filming.
(4 minute summary) https://onion.tube/watch?v=_r7CTvFbvMc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_r7CTvFbvMc
John Wayne's historic flop 'gave almost 100 people cancer' including Duke himself https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/films/1720993/John-Wayne-cancer-Genghis-Khan-movie-The-Conqueror-Howard-Hughes https://archive.ph/p13bc
The Forgotten John Wayne Film That Left A Tragic Legacy https://www.slashfilm.com/760920/the-forgotten-john-wayne-film-that-left-a-tragic-legacy/ https://archive.ph/3wHNV
The Production and Legacy of The Conqueror (1956) https://www.intermountainhistories.org/items/show/144 https://archive.ph/AA85L
Downwinders and the Tragic Legacy of the Film 'The Conqueror' https://interestingengineering.com/science/downwinders-and-the-tragic-legacy-of-the-film-the-conqueror https://archive.ph/FltN9
Damn. That's interesting history.
Excellent comment. Excellent follow up. More people should read this.
Well thats kinda fortunate otherwise all those people might have got 'normal' cancer from all the chain smoking every single person was doing back then, or when Enviromental protections for toxins and carcigens in every day foods and products wasnt a thing.
That’s interesting. I’d be curious to know the info to compare to the normal percentage of people who die from cancer with the same age, sex, etc.
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